Devices for lifting rolls of material are well known in the art. The disclosed devices include, for example, lifting arms powered by various means and disposed on wheeled frames (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,266,903; 4,084,763; 4,593,883; 4,447,012; and UK Patent No. 1,454,927). The devices disclosed in the prior art have several disadvantages. Some of these devices are large and unsuitable for use indoors, or are complicated to use and maintain because of the large number of moving parts required for their operation. Particularly, none of these devices are suitable for use in an indoor environment where such devices are required to be moved through doorways from one location to another and, where they are to be installed, transported and operated by as few as two individuals.
Currently, there exists no portable turf system for use in doors over a gym floor. Pro-gym (Collins and Aikman, Dalton, Ga.) is a heavy duty gymnasium floor covering that is permanently installed. Other gymnasium floor coverings, such as Magic Carpet (Balsam-Astroturf, St. Louis, Mo.) and indoor convertible fields are expensive and difficult to transport, store and install.
Therefore, there exists a need for an economical system and apparatus capable of transporting rolls of flexible gymnasium floor covering within an enclosed indoor space.